[3] In a memoir by the son of an early President John Johnston (served 1946-1954) there is a further elaboration of the circumstances in which the Association was founded and an illuminating account of important meetings held in the 1960s.
[7] More recently the Association has been alive to the issues thrown up by the UK's pro-Brexit vote and the concomitant risk of widening the gulf between the people of both jurisdictions on the island.
To that end it has worked with other organisations to provide a platform for discussion, reflection and debate, most significantly in 2015 when Charles Flanagan TD spoke alongside Arlene Foster at QUB at a seminar co-organised by the association and Institute of International and European Affairs.
[9] At the event, the former Green Party (Ireland) leader, Rev Trevor Sargent criticised religion in Ireland for focusing so much on issues of personal morality, saying, “whether we get into discussions about divorce, abortion, sexuality" and that “the amount of column inches that occupy those elements of religious activity and religious belief and conviction are hugely unbalanced compared to an equally strong biblical code which values social justice, human rights, intergenerational responsibility and the humility that come with asking God’s help in stewarding this wonderful creation.” [10] In 2019 the President, Bob Collins took part in a panel discussion at the Ulster Museum on Border Polls, Referendums and Democracy noting that "to the extent any real discussions are happening about a border poll, they’re one sided.
1967-1970: Martin Wallace 1970-1973: Edmond Grace 1973-1976: William Marshall 1976-1978: Donal Barrington S. C. 1978-1980: A. S. J. O'Neill [13] 1980-1982: Senator Trevor West 1982-1984: Lewis Semple 1984-1986: Una O'Higgins O'Malley [14] 1986-1988: Brian Garrett 1988-1991: Rev.